When quilted bedspreads and other quilted items are manufactured, an elongated web of multi-ply material is directed along its length through a quilting machine that has a plurality of sewing machines which form stitches through the web. The sewing machines are stationary and the web is movable both longitudinally and laterally with respect to the sewing operation so that various patterns of stitching can be formed in the quilted web.
When one of the needles in the sewing heads or its bobbin runs out of thread or otherwise malfunctions, the needle from the sewing head continues to form holes in the web, but no stitching is formed. When the operator detects the absence of stitching or a "line out" in the web, the operator stops the operation of the quilting machine and rethreads the sewing machine, etc., and then reactivates the machine. The operator usually marks the flaw with an adhesive tag, etc., but the operator does not make an attempt to insert stitching in the flaw where the malfunctioning machine did not properly operate, and the holes formed in the web and the absence of stitching remain in the web as a line out flaw for subsequent mending.
The quilted web is taken from the quilting machine and cut to length. Those cut lengths which contain a line out flaw due to the absence of stitching in the quilt design are usually mended by carrying the individual quilt to a single sewing machine and having a sewing machine operator move the flawed portion of the quilt through the sewing machine to insert the stitching in the proper pattern as shown by the holes in the quilt. This procedure requires individual handling of the quilts and the sewing machine operator is required to exert a substantial amount of time and effort to position and turn the wide and long quilt at the sewing head so as to insert the stitching in the proper pattern.